ABSTRACT
The larval stages of the genus Kempynus Navás, Citation1912 (probably K. falcatus Navás, Citation1912 based on the presence of synchronic and sympatric adults) are described for the Neotropical Region for the first time, and the larval stages of Isostenosmylus pulverulentus (Gerstaecker, Citation1893) are redescribed. The external morphology of third-instar larvae of both species and their habitats are described and compared. Kempynus sp. is a water-dependent species and can be considered semi-aquatic, whereas I. pulverulentus larvae are terrestrial and live in undergrowth vegetation. The first key to identification of Neotropical Osmylidae larvae is provided, based on third-instar larvae of both species.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Dr Torsten Dikow and Dr Oliver S. Flint Jr. (NMNH) to host the first author for four months at the Insect Collection of NMNH and provide part of the material used in this study; to Dr Dalton de Souza Amorim (FFCLRP-USP) and Dr Nelson Wanderley Perioto (APTA) for providing part of the material used in this study; to Msc. Daercio Adam de Araújo Lucena (FFCLRP-USP) for helping with I. pulverulentus pictures and to Dr David E. Bowles (Missouri State University) for the invitation to publish this article. We also thank Christian R. Gonzalez, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, and CONAF for facilitating field work in Chile.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.